Laundry checking and assembling apparatus



E. L. HURD June 2, 1931.

LAUNDRY CHECKING AND ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR E. L flu/"d.-

ATTORNEY E. L. HURD June 2, 1931.

LAUNDRY CHECKING AND ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. L. HURD June 2, 1931.

LAUNDRY CHECKING AND ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1. 192 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR E .L flu/a.

ATTORNEY E. L. HURD June 2, 1931.

' LAUNDRY CHECKING AND ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 1, 1927 R W h H mfl m mi m E June 2, 1931.

| L. HURD LAUNDRY CHECKING AND ASSEMBL ING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1, 192 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 DDUDDDHUU INVENTOR E. L Hura.

ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1931 U UNITED. STATES. PATENT EZPHRAIM L. HUBD, or OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, Assrenon To ALEXANDER GAMMELL, or cnroaeo, ILLINOIS 'f LAUNDRY cnncxme Ann AssE BLIne ArranArus Application filed September 'ofalaundry received from a customer an identifying mark, which mark is also entered upon that customers bill slip togetherwiththe number of pieces received and their nature so that the identity of the laundry may be determined and the cost for service determined. f

Special checkers have to be .employed to carefully inspect the completed laundry and assort-and assemble it into piles according to] thcidentifying markings on the pieces or bundles. These checkers, because of the exacting nature of their work, are among the highest paid of laundry employees and, de

spite their great care and skill, the laund'ries have to spendgreat sums each year in ireplacement of misassembled laundry.

Therefore, in its more detailed nature, the invention seeksto provide mechanical means to check or mark the laundry and a machine with which the checking means are mechanically associated and which. receives the laundry piece by piece and me'chanically assembles thesame into piles-or racks according to theidentifying checks ormarkers car-. ried thereby. r 1 7 'More' specifically the invention resides in the provision of checks ormarkers to be attached one of a like set to each piece of a bundle of laundry and being in the nature of trip actuation controlling keys, and a machine comprising assembly racks, counting or checking devices associated with each rack to: count or check the articles as they are assembled on the racks, a conveyor chain,

carrier heads on the chain and upon which the checks or markers are attachable to carry 1.1927. Serial No. 216,914.

the article secured there'to, t ripdevices to release the articles and deposi them ontoZthe. racks, and release devices toactuate'the 'trip devices associated withthat rack onlywithwhich-the check or marker carried by a certain head is identified.- r f With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,-the invention. still further resides in the novel details fofv construction, combination. and "arrangement of parts, all. of which will begfirst fully described in the following detailed description, then be particularlypointed out-in the appended claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, inv whichr- Figure. 1 is a side elevat1on of the ma-,

chine, parts being broken away.

Figure '2 is an endview of the machine looking toward the motor equipped end. j

Figure 3 is a plan view of the partsshown in Figure 1;;

Figure 4: is a. s 1

de elevation-of a trip mechanism and an approaching carrierhead, the V engaged or actuated position of the part being shown in ,dot and dash lines. Figure 5: isa vertical cross section taken on the line 55 on Figure L. K Figure 6 is a plan view ofone o rier heads. ,1 Figure 7 is anend elevation of one of the. carrier heads. K

Figure 8 is a perspective eview illustrate ing oneof the'checks or markers.

. Figure 9 is a somewhat diagrammaticlhori 'zontal' section illustrating the action ofj depositing a check or marker andthe laundry piece carried thereonnpon a r ack,-.;the-normal position of the parts-:beingshown ,fulL lines and the depositing action being shown in dot and dash lines. 5 r

Figure 10 is a plan view bearing heads.

Figurellis an invertedplanview-of the? rackbearing head. I 7

Figure. 12 is an enlarged edge view ;of one of one of the-rack of the piece counting and signalling mechanisms.

Figure 13 is an enlarged face view of the parts shown in Figure 12, a signalling position being shown. p g a F igure 14 1s a View similar to F1gure'13, an

' original set position being shown.

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view illustrating a cooperative set of lock bars disass to rotatably mount the stub shafts-9 having;

sembled. y

In the practical development of the invention Iiprovide end standards 1 and intermediate standards 2 which serve as supports for the horizontals 3 some of which are extended at one sideas at 4 to mount thel'ongitudi'nal frame bars 5 and verticals 6f Bearings are secured in pairs 7 7 and 88 on each pair of endstandards and serve the sprockets 10 keyed thereupon to rotate in a horizontal plane. 7 Am endless conveyor chain 1 1 takes-oven the sprockets an'd one shaft9is vertically extended and carries a worm'wheel 12towhich rotation is impartedby-the worm l3 mou-nted onthe shaft 14 hav= ing bearing at 15 upon thesupport plate 16 mountedon the framing. A gear 17 issecured upontheishaft 14 and meshes with the driver gear 18 on the shaft of thedrivi'ng motor 19 Through these connections the endless'chain'is'causedto travel1n a horizonta-lpatfh.

' "Upon selected links of'the chain, at regular-intervals, are mounted carrier-head brackets 20 each havinga pair of upper and lower rollers-21 adapted'toride on and be guided by. the track rails '22 to prevent drooping of the side course's ofthe' chain and cause'the brackets to follow afltrue course. The guide rails are supportedas at 23 upon the framing. 7 Each bracket 20 carries an article or piece carrier head 24 the latter beingz u d r to asat25.'f-

v The carrier heads each comprise-aiho'llowj casing26 closed by a cover plate 27 through which access may he had to-theinterior'of the same. A key receiving slot 28 isformed inf the-bottom of the easing into which th'ef'key fingers 29 project from within the casing,

key end 30 of-a check or marker 31 having a notched keeper head 32,;aniidentifying number 33'- and a saf'ety-pin-like 's ecuring'end' 34"hywhich it'may'be' attached to an article or piece of laundry";

-1 It should'be explained-that these checks or markers" are made in any desired number of indi viidua-l' sets;

key'end fingers.:- Each set bears a distinct combination of key end fingers so that'when laundry pieces are attached to-the markers or checks and carried by a carrier heador heads they will actuate the mechanism associated the said sloti-s adapted to receive the as many to'a set as mayzbe found practical and all bear ng thesame identifymg number and the same combination of with one rack only, the one identified with the particular set of markers, and all pieces attached to markers of that set will'be removed from the conveyor chain and deposited on that particular track.

Thus instead of marking the laundry pieces with unsightly ink markings to identify them according to the practise now common, each piece is attached to the safety-pin-like end of a check or marker, without further care as to its identity, and p'utthroughth-e usual laundry'processes. After completion of the processes the tedium of assortment and assembly is completely avoided and it is only necessary tomount'eachf piece promiscuously,'

by its key end upon a carrier head and when each piece reaches the rack identified by its carrying marker it will'be deposited onto that r k automat ally r A keeper and release arm 35 is pivoted as at 36 atthe advance end of each casingand has mountedon its upper enda cam roller 37, the arm-35beingsslotted at'its center. as at 38 to pass a stop. and spring pin 39-which-serves to hold it in its normal check or. marker securing positionyand .isequipped at its lowermostend with a keeper finger 40 to engage, the notched head 32 of the markerto secureit upon'th'e carrier head'againste inadvertent removal.

The fingers29 arecarriedat the lower ends of bolt'14 slidable vertically in bearings-42 7 provided in the casing and spring held, as at 43, to-adownward position with the key fin= gens-projected their maximum distance into the marker receiving slotw-ay. At their up.-

A tripi mechanism ,is associated with eachrack and includes acasing 46 secured are? to the framing and which-has mounted'therein a rock shaft 48-carrying a notched head 49- havinga lock notch 50 formed therein; The shaft projects beyond the casingat one side and carries a'crank arm '51 having a trip arm portion 52, a slotted rack positioning arm 53,

and an upper crank arm extension 54 engaged to throwthe crank arm 51' downwardly and backwardlytoward by a'spring'r55 which tends theappro'aching: carrier-heads A pluralitypfilock bars 56 (one for eac cam head' 44) are provided and arev pivotally mounted at 57 in the casing and areeach pro-- videdwith a lock detentor trigger 58 adapted normally to rest in'the notch-50 and holdtheshaft'48 to its normal postion with the trip a'rm'52fj ust above the path oftravel of ancl out per'ends the'bolts carry cam heads44 which he assembly racks 60 are in'the nature of open track rail'sto receive the heads 32 of the markers and each includesa fixed section and I the rack proper.

engage and lift'some of the lugs or triggers 58 011113 of their notches :but, until the proper key projected combination comes along. the trip mechanisms remain untripped because all of the detents are not removed simultaneously. lV-hen the propercam head projection combination comes along, all of'the triggers will be released and the spring functions to force thetrip arm 52- d'ownwardly to forcibly engage the roller 37, of the advancingcarrier head and releases the keeper finger 40 and permits the marker or check to fall from the carrier head. See Figure L The lock bars also have stop lugs 59 to limit upward movement by engagement with the rocker'head, It should alsobe under stood that the triggers or lock detents 58 are of varying-length to be associated with the camheads of the proper carrier head. See Figure 15. r

amovablesection normally out of the way of the passing carrier heads but automatically movable to position for receiving the pieces simultaneously witheach release of a laundry piece from the conveyingchain. See Figure 9;

The adjacent ends of thefixed and movable rack sections are mounted lI1 b62LIlI1g heads 61 secured to the undenfa ce of the lower longitudinal frame rail 5. The swingable sections are indicated as 63 and each thereof has its advance end bent upwardly to form an incline 6'4 terminating in a hook shaped open end 65 upon which the markers are "adapted to be received. The marker heads 32 are prefer ably made round to present a minimum of engaging surface and thusfacil'itate free slidin-g thereof down the rack incline portion onto An arm 66 projects from each movable rack section intothe slotted end of the arm 53 of the associatedtrip mechanism sothat the instant thetriggerrelease occurs and the spring 55; functions the rack end 63, 65 is quicklymoved to position for receiving the marker 31 which isreleased from its carrier head by the same movement. See Figure 9. 4

In order that an understanding may be had of'the trip mechanism, reference is made to Figures 8 and 4 of the drawings. It willbeassumed that amarker 31 has been deposited u'ponone of the movable'ra ck members 62 and the arm 51 is in the dottedline position shown in Figure 4. Further movement of the carrier 24, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure twill cause a corresponding movement of the arm 51 by virtue of engagement' of the trip arm 52 with the cam roller 87 of the carrier; The movement of the arm 51 will, of course flex the spring 55, and also, such movement of the arm will cause rotation of the head 49 toproperly aline the notch 50 with the detent 58 :ofthelock bars 56. When the notch 50 is. in alinement with the detents 58, the lock bars will fall therein and hold the spring-55 under tension'with the arm 53 and associatedmovable rack 62 out of.

the path of following carriers," but in position to be again actuated by a carrier bearing the proper cam heads. v

The portionofceach movable rack section 63 that projects into the head 61 has a crank arm 67 rigidly connected thereto and the head is cut-out or slotted as at 68 to. permit movement of the said rack section toward an advancing carrier bead. See Figures 9,. 10:

and 11. 1 i

Each crank arm 67 is slotted toreceivethe operating arm 69 pivoted at 70 to the plate '51 secured in vertical position on the extended framing. The arm 69 carries a detent72t0 engage the toothed pe i'phery 73' of a dial 7 4E having numbering thereon at 75 arranged in sequence from Zero to a sufiicientiy high number to er.brace the number of pieces.

usually contained inlaundry bundles; Each number is asscciatedwith an individual tooth. and in the drawings, I have indicated thirtytwo teeth and an'even range of numerals.

Each dial is freely rotatable on a stud shaft '56 fixed in the plate 71 and an indicator-hand 77 is fixed uponthe shaft end and points to the numbers as they pass before its ends. Each time a piece oflaundry is depositedv onto the associated rack the dial is turned one tooth or number by the parts 67 69570 and 72. and thus the progress of accumulation on the rack is checked and recorded.

An electric signal light 7 8 is mounted in a suitable socket on each support plate71 and isconnected inan energized circuit 79 including a contact 80at zero on the dial and a cooperating contact 81 on the hand '17. The

circuitis complete only when the contacts 80 and 81' are engag ng and hence the signal light will not be: lighted when the. hand points to any number vother than zero.

In practice the customers bill with the key identification indication and billing data thereon may be mountedon the assembl ng l l e rack identified by thekey combination and i an operator sets the dial so that the hand points to the number ofpieces that must be.

assembled onthe rack to complete the %cus-. tomers" bundle.

The mechanism now being in motion the carrier heads will "be moved along and will rack approaches which is properly key set to actuate the trip mechanism. The cam heads of this carrier will then actuate the trip mechanism, the piece will be released and deposited'onto the rack, and the dial will be moved reversely one notch to cause the indicator hand to point to the next or successivelylower number indicatingthat there is now one less piece to beassembled to complete the order. Whenthe last piece has been thus assembled the hand points to zero and the signal light is lightedtosignify that the assemblyiscomplete andthe pieces may be re-' moved from the rack and prepared for delivery.

'to assemble bundles as well as pieces, and it may be employed to assemble other articles than pieces of laundry.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the novel details of the manner of use, and the advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art'to which it relates. 7

What I claim is 1. Apparatus of the character described comprising carriers, means to mount laundry pieces on the carriers, receiving racks, and means to deposit complementary laundry pieces onto certain racks, said racks each comprising a fixed portion, a movableportion normally out of position but movable 3 into position at the proper time to receive a laundry'piece from a certain carrier, and means to release the laundry pieee from the certain carrier and movethe said movable rack portion'into position to-receive it, and

key positioned means carried by the carrier to actuate. said releasing and moving means for the purposes specified. I

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising traveling carriers, means to mount laundry pieces on the carriers, re-

ceiving means, trip devices to release the laundry piecesfromthe carriers, and deposit them onto the receiving means, and-key controlled devices to associate each carrier with l a certain receiving means only, said mounting means each having provision to distlnctively mark the laundry piece carried there by and a key portion to engageand set the may be mounted on the carriers promiscuous tached to other set.

key controlled devices. g

3. Apparatus of the ChELIQCiGIQClQSCIlbfid comprising carriers, trip devices, vreceiving means, sets of mounting devices each set identified with a certain receiving means adapted to be attached topieces of laundry to identify them andmounhthem on the carriers, trio actuating devices carried by the carriers, and means on the mounting devices to set the trip actuating devices to actuate atrip device upon reaching a certain 1y and trip released onto a certain receiving means only with the remainder of pieces atmounting devices of the same Obviously this apparatusmay be employed 4. Apparatus ottheYcha'racter described, comprising carriers, an endless chain upon which the carriers are mounted at spaced intervals, trackways to guide movement of the carriers in an undeviatingr course, trip devices, receiving means, sets of mounting; devices each set identified with a certain ,receiving means adapted tobe attached to pieces, of; laundry to identify'them and mount them on the carriers, trip actuating devices carried by the carriers, andmeans on the mount ing devices to set the trip actuating devices to actuate a trip device upon reaching-a certain receiving means only, whereby laundrypieces may be mounted on the-carriers promiscuous ly and trip released onto a certain receiving means only with the remainderof pieces attached to other mounting devices of the same set.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising traveling carriers, means, to mount laundry pieceson the carriers, receiv ing racks including movable receiving ends,v trip devices to release the laundry piecesand to move the rack receiving endsto position for receiving the-released pieces, and-means on the carriersto actuate-the trlp devices and move said movableracksections and'to reset,

saidtrip devices and returnsaid tionsto normal position.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising traveling carriers, means to mount laundry pieces on thecarriers, receiving means, trip devices to release the laundry rack secpieces from the carriers onto the receiving means, and means on the carriers to actuate the trlp devlces and reset said devices afteractuatiomandkey actuated means to adjust sald actuatlon efiectlng means on the carr ers whereby each said carrier will become asso-; mated with a C6Ita1Il1I6C6lV1I1g meansonly. 7. Apparatus of the character descrlbed comprising 5 traveling carriers, means to mount laundry. pieces on the carriers, receiving racks, trip-devices to release the laundry pieces from the carriersonto the racks, said carriers being-normally common'tojall of the racks, said trip devices each beingassociated' with a single rack, and means to selectively adjust the carriers to association'with any single selected rack for the purposes, specielied, said last named means including key.- adjusted c'am heads, and selective key mem bears to adjust the position of the cam heads.

8. Apparatus of the character 1 described comprising traveling carriers, means to v mount laundry pieces on the carrlers, recelving racks, tr p devices to release thelaundry pieces from the carriers onto thefracks,s'aid carriers being normally common to all of the racks, said, trip devices each-being associated, with a single rack, and means to selectively adjust the carriers to association with any 7 single selected rack for the purposes speci fied, said-last named means including key adjusted cam heads, and selective key members to adjust the position of the cam heads, and said key members constituting part of the laundry piece mounting means.

9. Apparatus of the character described comprising traveling carriers, means to mount lanudry pieces on the carriers, receiving means, trip devices to release the laundry pieces from the carriers and deposit them onto the receiving means, said trip devices each including trip arms, a spring tending to force the arms in the release direction, a notched head and triggers to hold the arms inactive, and means on the carriers to release the triggers for the purposes specified.

10. Apparatus of the character described comprising traveling carriers, means to mount laundry pieces on the carriers, receiving means, trip devices to release the laundry pieces from the carriers and deposit them onto the receiving means, said trip devices each including trip arms, a spring tending to force the arms in the release direction, a notched head and triggers to hold the arms inactive, cam heads carried by the carriers, and means forming part of the piece mounting means to adjust the positions of the cam heads, said triggers having varied sized lock fingers to engage the notched head whereby the triggers or a trip device will be totally released by the adjusted cam heads of certain carrier heads only.

11. Apparatus of the character described comprising carriers, means to move and guide the carriers, means to mount laundry pieces on the carriers, receiving means, and trip devices to release the pieces onto the receiving means, said carriers each comprising a casing having a key end receiving slot, a

- plurality of key fingers in the slot, cam head equipped bolts movable in the casing, a control key insertible into the slot to project the cam heads above the casing in varying degrees of projection, and a pivoted release and bolting lever forming part of the piece mounting means, and said trip'devices each comprising a housing, a notched head rockable in the housing, a release arm, a spring tending to force the release arm in the releasing direction, and a plurality of lock dog triggers having detents to engage the notched head and secure it in theinactive position and adapted to be released by certain combination projections of the cam heads only to release the triggers for the purposes specified.

12. Apparatus of the character described comprising carriers, means to move and guide the carriers, means to mount laundry pieces on the carriers, receiving means and trip devices to release the pieces onto the receiving means, said carriers each comprislng a casing having a key end receiving slot, a plurality of key fingers in the slot cam head equipped bolts movable in the casing, a control key insertible into the slot to project the cam heads above the casing in varying degrees" of projection, and a pivotedrelease and bolting lever forming part of the piece mounting means, "and said trip devices each comprising a housing, {a notchedahead rockable in the housing, a release arm, a spring. tending to force the release arm in the releasingdirection, and a plurality of lock dog'triggers hav ing detents to engage the notched head and secure it in the inactive. position and adapted to be released by certain combination proj ections or the cam heads only to release the triggers for the purposes specified, said release levers and said release arms being free to pass when the triggers are not released, and

said release levers being positioned to reset the trip devices to their normal positions on continued movement of the carriers after they have actuated said trip devices.

13. Apparatus of the charcter described 7 comprising carriers, means to move and guide the carriers, means to mount laundry grees or projection, and a pivoted release and a bolting lever forming part of the piece mounting means, and said trip devices each comprising a housing, a notched head rockable in the housing, a release arm, a spring tending to force the release arm in the releasing direction,and a plurality of lock dog triggers having detents to engage the notched head and secure it in the inactive position and adapted to be released by certain combination projections of the cam heads only to release a the triggers for the purposes specified, said release levers and said release arms being free to pass when the triggers are not released, and said release levers being positioned to reset the trip devices to their normal positions.

on continued movement of the carriers after they have actuated said trip devices, said receiving means each having a movable receiving end normally out of the way of the carriers, and arms and rod connections between the release arm and the movable end of the'receiving means whereby said ends will be moved into position to receive the laundry pieces as the trip devices are actuated and replaced to normal position when said trip devices are reset. 7

14. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a stationary frame, a traveling conveyor, a plurality of carrier devices, mounted upon said conveyor, a plurality of markers each adapted to be secured to an article to be distributed, a plurality or tripping devices mounted upon said ifmm'e,- a: plurality ofure'c eivihg ralc'k ends, mean's'for actuating said tripping devices to "release the markers-at apprqpriate and pre'deitel'mined stations, and an operative connec- V f tijon betweeueach tripping device and the asis'o'ciatedrack end'to cause their simultaneous operationupon actuation of said tripping devicqwhereby said rack end is swung to -marker receiving posit-ion upon such actu- V EPHRAIM L. 

